Teen Suspected of Killing Newborn Indicted as Adult

Thursday

Oct 4, 2012 at 4:45 PMOct 4, 2012 at 4:54 PM

Fourteen-year-old Cassidy Goodson, who authorities say secretly gave birth to a son and then strangled the newborn, will be prosecuted as an adult. A grand jury indicted the Lakeland girl on Thursday on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.

By JASON GEARYTHE LEDGER

BARTOW | Fourteen-year-old Cassidy Goodson, who authorities say secretly gave birth to a son and then strangled the newborn, will be prosecuted as an adult.

A grand jury indicted the Lakeland girl on Thursday on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.

Goodson was arrested last week after deputies say she gave birth on Sept. 19 to a 9.5-pound boy inside a bathroom then strangled him.

The indictment does not identify the baby by any name but simply uses the words "Baby Goodson" to describe him.

If Cassidy Goodson had remained charged in the juvenile system, the maximum length of supervision she could be monitored would be until her 22nd birthday.

In Florida's adult criminal justice system, the maximum penalty for first-degree murder is usually a mandatory life sentence or the death penalty.

Goodson's young age prevents her from facing the death penalty.

In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that it was unconstitutional for juveniles convicted of murder to receive mandatory life imprisonment without parole. The decision specifically addressed "mandatory" life sentences for juveniles but doesn't appear to rule out such punishment on a case-by-case basis.

In an interview, State Attorney Jerry Hill said he didn't know what an appropriate sentence should be in the case.

"Legally speaking, it's possible that it's a life case," he said. "Practically speaking and what is the just thing to do, that will be determined as we learn more about it."

Hill said the decision to charge the girl as an adult wasn't taken lightly.

When asked if prosecuting the girl as an adult was harsh or heavy-handed, Hill said the case hasn't been resolved yet, and it's too early to know how it will end.

"I don't want to suggest that I know the outcome of that," Hill said. "But first-degree murder is the appropriate charge. We will have a great deal of latitude as we move forward and more facts come to light."

Goodson's lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Howardene Garrett, did not want to comment for this article.

Many questions remain in the case.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has previously said the investigation continues, but it appears the baby's father is a juvenile, meaning someone younger than 18.

An affidavit of the Polk County Sheriff's Office provides the following account:

The girl told investigators that she went into the bathroom and used a pair of scissors to pry the baby out.

"Cassidy stated she felt for a pulse, which was present, and observed the child move," the affidavit states. "Cassidy advised she placed her hands around the neck of the child and choked it for approximately one minute, to stop the child from breathing."

The girl cleaned herself and the baby's body before hiding the body.

The girl's mother, Teresa Goodson, later saw blood around the bathroom toilet and took Cassidy to the hospital. The girl told her mother that she had a miscarriage and flushed the fetus down the toilet without looking.

The miscarriage was reported to investigators for the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Department of Children & Families.

Three days later, Teresa Goodson reported finding the baby after going into her daughter's bedroom to collect dirty laundry. She told investigators that she noticed a foul odor coming from a storage stool. Inside, she discovered a plastic bag with the baby stuffed underneath some wet clothing.

An autopsy found that the child was a full-term infant and was alive and breathing prior to death.

Polk County Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Nelson noted there were severe head injuries consistent with the child being struck repeatedly with scissors as well as signs of strangulation.

[ Jason Geary can be reached at jason.geary@theledger.com or 863-802-7536. ]